The manufacture of decorated or labeled drawn cans.



No. 767,174. PATENTED AUG. 9, 1904 J.- SHIRREFPS.

MANUFACTURE OF DEGORATED 0R LABELED DRAWN CANS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1903.

NO MODEL UNITED STATES Patented August 9, 1904.

PATENT OEETCE.

JOHN SHIRREFFS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

THE MANUFACTURE OF DECORATED OR LABELED DRAWN CANS- SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,174, dated August 9, 1904.

Application filed May 1, 1903. Serial No. 155,100. (No specimens.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

It consists in first applying to the flat cir cular blank from which the seamless can-body is to be made a coating of size or varnish and then printing upon such coating the label or ornamentation desired, with the letters, characters, designs, or the lines thereof which are to appear upright or parallel to each other on the finished cylindrical can-body arranged radially of the blank or inclined to each other and with such letters, characters, or designs also somewhat distorted or flattened in respect to their length, height, or upright dimension, and then drawing the flat circular blank into a cylindrical seamless can-body, and thereby causing the individual letters, designs, or characters and the upright lines thereof to change from their original radial or inclined position to an 'upright position and also to assume their proper height, length, or upright dimension in proper proportion to their breadth or width and in proper relation to each other. By this means or process I am enabled to manufacture labeled or ornamented drawn cans with the label or ornamentation printed directly on the can-body itself very rapidly and cheaply and at the same time produce the various letters, characters, or designs of regular, uniform, and proper shape and in proper or desired relation to each other.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a flat circular seamless can-bod y blank, showing the same coated with size or varnish and having the label, design, or ornamentation thereon with the letters or characters upright in the finished can-body arranged ra- 5 dially of the blank or inclined to each other and with the individual letters or characters thereof somewhat distorted or flattened in respect to their length or height. Fig. 2 shows the same after it has been drawn into aseamless can-body; and Fig. 3 is apartial vertical section indicating the several layers or coatings, the thickness thereof being exaggerated.

In the drawings, A represents a flat circular seamless can-body blank having a coating of size or varnish a on the face thereof Which is to form the outer surface of the finished canbody and having a label or ornamentation B printed thereon, composed of individual characters, letters, or designs I), arranged radially of the blank and With the lines I) thereof, which are to be upright and parallel in the printed can-body, extending radially of the blank and inclined to each other and with the height, length, or upright dimension 5 of the letters, characters, or designs of the label or ornamentation somewhat flattened, distorted, or diminished in respect to their normal, proper, or desired form. As illustrated in the drawings, I have shown the ornamentation as 7 5 composed of plain or simple letters composing the words that are on the can, though of course the same may be of any other character or design desired. The ink or other coating formed by printing the letters, characters, or designs on the blank is indicated on the drawings at a.

D represents the seamless can-body drawn or pressed up from the flat circular blank A and having on its cylindrical body the label 5 or ornamentation B, with the individual letters, characters, and the upright lines thereof now changed by the drawing operation to an upright position and parallel with each other and with their original somewhat flattened or 9 distorted form changed by the drawing operation to their normal or desired form.

I claim 1. The process or method of manufacturing decorated or labeled seamless cans having the label or decoration printed on the can-body itself, consisting in first coating a flat blank thereof and the lines thereof which are to be i with size or varnish, then printing in ink or color coating the label or ornamentation on the annular portion of the blank that will form the can-body with the individual letters, characters. or designs arranged radially of the blank and somewhat flattened, distorted or shortened in their upright dimension, and with the lines thereof which are to be upright and parallel in the finished can-body arranged radially of the blank andinclined to each other, and finally, drawing the fiat blank into a seamless cylindrical body, and thereby causing the printed label or ornamentation and the individual letters, characters or designs thereof to assume by the drawing operation their proper form and parallel upright position in respect to each other, substantially as specified.

2. The process or method of manufacturing decorated or labeled seamless cans having the label or decoration printed on the can-body ltself, conslsting 1n printlng in 1nk or color coating the label ordecoration on the portion of the flat blank which forms the body of the finished can, with the individual letters, characters or designs arranged radially of the blank, and then drawing the blank into a can: body and causing the label or ornamentation and the individual letters, characters or designs thereof to assume by the drawing operation their, proper form and relative upright or parallel arrangement in respect to each other, substantially as specified.

JOHN SHIRREFFS.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUN-DAY, P. ABRAMs. 

